Gerald Miller, Yan Xu and Joseph Young each have been awarded $5,000 postgraduate grants by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) as winners of the 2008 Watson Fellowship Program.

The Watson Fellowship is funded by a partnership between The Toro Co. and The Environmental Institute for Golf. It is named after James R. Watson, Ph.D., a retired vice president for Toro who pioneered turfgrass research. The winners, students working toward master's degrees and doctoral degrees, have been identified as promising future teachers and researchers in the field of golf course management. They also receive an all-expense paid trip to the 2009 GCSAA Education Conference (Feb. 2-7) and Golf Industry Show (Feb. 5-7) in New Orleans.

Miller, who is from Jacksonville, Fla., is working toward a doctorate degree in plant pathology at North Carolina State University. He holds a bachelor's degree in science from NC State and a master's in science from the University of Georgia. His master's thesis focused on the characterization of fungicide sensitivity in populations of the casual fungus of dollar spot in Georgia. Miller's dissertation aims to identify the fungi involved in fairy ring biology and determine the soil temperatures at which they are active and assess their sensitivity to fungicides and other management practices. His future career plans entail working as a turf pathologist within an academic setting in research, extension and teaching.

Xu, who is from Nanjing, China, and earned an undergraduate degree from Nanjing University, is working toward a doctorate degree in turfgrass stress physiology at Rutgers University in New Jersey. The goal of her dissertation is to explore the hormonal regulation of heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass. Part of her dissertation has already been published in the Journal of American Society for Horticulture Science, in which she compared a unique bentgrass species originating from geothermal areas in Yellowstone National Park, to heat-sensitive creeping bentgrass, examining what mechanisms could contribute to superior thermal tolerance. After graduation, Xu plans to become involved with some of the joint turfgrass management programs between American and Chinese universities.

Young, who hails from Gardendale, Ala., is working on a master's degree in turfgrass pathology at Mississippi State University. He holds an associate's degree from Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi and a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State. The topic of his thesis is to determine if isolates of the causal Colletotrichum cereale, an organism of anthracnose on turfgrass species and forage grasses, from Mississippi and Alabama exhibit fungicide resistance to fungicides azoxystrobin (AZ) and/or thiophanate-methyl (TM). Upon completion of his master's degree, Young plans to pursue a doctorate degree in turfgrass pathology.

Watson is a leading authority on turfgrasses and was vice president for customer relations and chief agronomist for Toro. The winner of the USGA Green Section Award in 1976 and the 1977 Agronomic Service Award by the American Society of Agronomy, Watson was named a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America in 1979. He also won the 1991 Harry Gill Memorial Award of the Sports Turf Managers Association and GCSAA's highest honor in 1995, the Old Tom Morris Award. Over the course of five decades at Toro, Watson conducted research on adaptability of species and strains of turfgrasses, fertilization practices, snow mold prevention techniques for the winter protection of turfgrasses, etc. He has authored more than 400 popular articles on turfgrass cultural practices and water conservation.

GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 21,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA's mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.

The Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA, is a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities, dedicated to strengthening the compatibility of golf with the natural environment. The Institute concentrates on delivering programs and services involving research, education and outreach that communicate the best management practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course. For more on The Institute, visit www.eifg.org.

The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) is a leading worldwide provider of turf and landscape maintenance equipment, and precision irrigation systems. With sales of nearly $1.9 billion in fiscal 2008, Toro's global presence extends to more than 140 countries through its reputation of world-class service, innovation and turf expertise. Since 1914, the company has built a tradition of excellence around a number of strong brands to help customers care for golf courses, sports fields, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties, and agricultural fields. More information is available at www.thetorocompany.com.

For more information contact:
Teri Harris, GCSAA managing director, development, at 800-472-7878 or tharris@gcsaa.org
Sandra Donnelly, The Toro Co. public relations, commercial business, at 952-887-8566 or sandra.donnelly@toro.com